Phu Chee Fah

After breakfast we jumped into the minivan that Laetitia had hired for the day and the first stop was at a Hmong Hilltribe school, where we were allowed to walk round the classrooms and try and communicate with the children. Some were painting flowers, some were doing alphabet and some were doing sums. It's not really clear how much they learn by being here as it seems they can wander in and out of classes as they choose. It is not unusual to see the TV on, the radio on and various dogs and cats sleeping in the classrooms with the children. There is definitely a different slant on education here. These children are taught to fend for themselves, outside the back of the classrooms is an area where they 'farm' catfish and the children learn how to catch a fish, kill it, prepare it and then eat it for their lunch - reading, writing etc. seems to come second. Laetitia said that it has been very difficult for her to find a school that she wanted to send her children to, the headmaster of the village school sends his kids a bus ride away to a private school for education, which Laetitia now does as well, supplementing their education at home.

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